Percutaneous oxygenator

ABSTRACT

A percutaneous oxygenator has a Y-shaped tubular connector and a number of hollow, gas-permeable fibers. One end of each fiber is located in the first upper arm of the connector. The other end of each fiber is located in the other upper arm of the connector, with each fiber forming a loop extending out of the lower opening of the connector. To guide insertion of the device into a patient&#39;s vein, and to provide structural support for the fiber loops, a support member extends downward from the connector with an aperture at is distal end. Each of the fiber loops pass through this aperture. The device is inserted through a single small incision into the patient&#39;s venous system. An oxygen supply is attached to one of the upper arms of the connector. Oxygen flows through the hollow fibers and diffusion through the fiber wall into the blood. Carbon dioxide diffuses across the fiber wall from the blood into the interior of the fiber tubes. This carbon dioxide and any remaining oxygen exit the fibers and are vented to the atmosphere at the second upper arm of the connector. The fiber loops can be crimped and/or twisted into a helical arrangement to enhance gas exchange.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention.

The present invention relates generally to the field of oxygenators used to increase the oxygen level in a patient's blood. More particularly, the present invention involves a percutaneous oxygenator that can be positioned within a patient's body, as for example in the inferior vena cava, superior vena cava, the right atrium of the heart, or any combination thereof.

2. Statement of the Problem.

Many types of blood oxygenators are well known in the art. For example, during open heart surgery, the patient is interconnected with an external oxygenator, commonly known as a heart-lung machine, which introduces oxygen into the blood system. Most types of oxygenators use a gas-permeable membrane. Blood flows along one side of the membrane, and oxygen is supplied to the other side of the membrane. Given a sufficient pressure gradient between the oxygen supply and the blood, the oxygen will diffuse through the membrane and into the blood. In addition, carbon dioxide will tend to diffuse from the blood into the membrane.

In other situations, a smaller, implantable oxygenator may be sufficient to adequately supplement the patient's cardiopulmonary function by marginally increasing the oxygen content of the patient's blood. For example, patients suffering from emphysema, pneumonia, congestive heart failure, or other chronic lung disease often have blood oxygen partial pressures of approximately 40 torr. A relatively small increase of 10% to 20% is generally sufficient to adequately maintain the patient. This is a particularly desirable alternative in that it avoids the need to intubate the patient in such cases. In addition, temporary use of this type of oxygenator is sufficient in many cases to tide the patient over an acute respiratory insult. Placing such patients on a conventional respirator is often the beginning of a progressive downhill spiral by damaging the patient's pulmonary tree and thereby causing greater dependence on the respirator.

A number of devices and processes have been invented in the past incorporating this basic technology, including the following:

    ______________________________________                                         Inventor        Pat. No.    Issue Date                                         ______________________________________                                         Bodell          3,505,686   Apr. 14, 1970                                      Burton          4,159,720   July 3, 1979                                       Kopp, et al.    4,346,006   Aug. 24, 1982                                      Mortensen       4,583,969   Apr. 22, 1986                                      Taheri          4,631,053   Dec. 23, 1986                                      Kitagawa, et al.                                                                               4,743,250   May 10, 1988                                       ______________________________________                                    

The Bodell patent demonstrates the general concept of using gas permeable fibers to boost the oxygen level of blood. FIGS. 6 and 10 show two variations of this device intended for use inside the body of the patient. In the implantable embodiment of the Bodell device, a tubular casing serves as a shunt either from the pulmonary artery to the left atrium of the heart (FIG. 6), or more generally between an artery and a vein (FIG. 10). A multitude of parallel-connected capillary tubes are used to oxygenate and/or purify the blood circulating through the casing.

FIGS. 3-5 of the Mortensen patent show a transvenous oxygenator made of a plurality of small diameter gas permeable tubes 32 connected to headers 34 and 36 at each end. However, the specific device disclosed by Mortensen has a significant disadvantage in that two incisions are required. The insertion process is also rather complex.

The Taheri patent discloses a transvenous oxygenator having a single membrane 16 through which oxygen diffuses. The membrane is disposed within a sheath 18 and both are supported by a flexible wire 20.

The remaining references are of lesser pertinence.

3. Solution to the Problem.

None of the prior art references uncovered in the search show oxygenation by means of a number of parallel loops of hollow tubes supported by a wire stylet that is inserted through a single small incision. Furthermore the unique Y-shaped connector used in the present invention is also not disclosed in any of these references.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a percutaneous oxygenator having a Y-shaped tubular connector and a plurality of hollow, gas-permeable fibers. One end of each fiber is located in the first upper arm of the connector. The other end of each fiber is located in the other upper arm of the connector, with each fiber forming a loop extending out of the lower opening of the connector. To guide insertion of the device into a patient's vein, and to provide structural support for the fiber loops, an elongated support member extends downward from the connector with an aperture at its distal end. Each of the fiber loops pass through this aperture. The device is inserted through a single small incision into a vein, and once in place occupies the superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, right atrium, or some combination of these areas in the patient. An oxygen supply is attached to one of the upper arms of the connector. Oxygen flows through the hollow fibers and diffuses through the fiber wall into the blood. Carbon dioxide diffuses in the opposite direction across the fiber wall from the blood into the interior of the fiber loops. This carbon dioxide and any remaining oxygen exits the fibers and is vented to the atmosphere at the second upper arm of the connector. The fiber loops can be crimped and/or twisted into a helical arrangement to enhance gas exchange.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an oxygenator that can be easily implanted into a patient through a single incision, to boost the oxygen level and to remove carbon dioxide from the patient's blood.

Another object of the present invention is provide a disposable oxygenator that can be relatively simply and inexpensively produced and then discarded after use.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a compact oxygenator having a large surface area for diffusion of oxygen in comparison to its volume, thereby minimizing trauma to the patient and also minimizing obstruction to the flow of blood.

These and other advantages, features, and objects of the present invention will be more readily understood in view of the following detailed description and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention can be more readily understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of oxygenator

FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the oxygenator showing, as an example, the manner in which a few of the fibers loop through the aperture at the end of the support member.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of one upper arm of the Y-shaped connector of the oxygenator.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the oxygenator, corresponding to FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the patient's body showing the oxygenator implanted through the right internal jugular vein into the superior vena cava.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alterative embodiment of the present invention in which the fiber loops are helically twisted about one another to form a cork screw arrangement.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the fiber loops have been crimped at a number of points along their peripheral length.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the fiber loops have been both crimped, as shown in FIG. 7, and twisted into a cork screw arrangement, as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of yet another alternative embodiment using a single large-bore hollow fiber in place of the multitude of smaller fibers employed in the previous embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning to FIG. 1, the oxygenator 10 is shown as having a Y-shaped tubular connector 12 and a multitude of parallel loops of hollow, gas-permeable fibers 14. The Y-shaped connector 12 has a tubular base 20 and two tubular upper arms 22 and 24 extending from the upper end of the tubular base 20. External openings exist at the distal ends of the base and both upper arms of the connector. One end of each fiber 14 is located in the first upper arm 22, in fluid communication with the external opening at the end of this upper arm of the connector 12. The body of each fiber 14 forms a loop extending from the first upper arm 22 downward out of the external opening at the bottom of the tubular base 20, and then upward back through the tubular base 20 and into the second upper arm 24 of the connector. The second end of each fiber 14 is located in fluid communication with external opening at the end of the second upper arm 24. FIG. 2 more clearly shows the loops formed by each fiber 14. A corresponding partial cross-sectional view of this device is shown in FIG. 4.

The fiber loops of the device are implanted in the venous system of the patient through a single small incision. For example, FIG. 5 shows the device implanted through the right interior jugular vein into the superior vena cava of a patient. For maximum effectiveness, the fiber loops are fully inserted through the incision up to the level of the base 20 of the connector 12. Insertion of the fiber loops can be aided by using a conventional introducer similar to the type presently employed to insert a cardiac pacemaker. The connector 12 remains largely outside the incision. Optionally, a flexible plastic cuff (not shown) extending laterally outward from the base 20 of the connector 12 covers the area surrounding the incision.

As shown in FIG. 1, a multitude of fiber loops 14 extend from the base of the connector 12 to form a compact bundle having a large total surface area for diffusion of oxygen into the blood stream, and diffusion of carbon dioxide out of the blood stream. Any of a variety of flexible, hollow, gas-permeable fibers currently available on the market, such Mitsubishi KPF190M polypropylene fibers, are suitable for this purpose. To provide a true ideal membrane, the polypropylene fibers should be coated with silicone rubber and bonded with a non-thrombogenic component.

After the device has been implanted, an oxygen supply (not shown) is attached to either one of the upper arms 22 or 24 of the connector 12. Oxygen flows into the ends of the fibers 14 in the attached upper arm of the connector, and through the fiber loops. Oxygen diffuses outward through the walls of the fiber loops into the surrounding blood stream. Carbon dioxide diffuses inward from the blood stream through the walls of the fiber loops into the interior of the fibers. This carbon dioxide and any remaining oxygen in the fibers are vented to the atmosphere at the distal end of the fibers through the external opening at the second, unattached upper arm of the connector 12. Alternatively, negative pressurization can be applied by means of a conventional vacuum pump to the second upper arm of the connector to enhance gas flow through the fiber loops.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a sealing material is introduced into the upper arms 22 and 24 of the connector 12 to fill the voids remaining between the fibers 14, without plugging the ends of the these fibers. This ensures that all of the oxygen provided by the oxygen supply flows through the fibers, rather than leaking directly to the atmosphere through the connector. Use of this sealing material is shown in the cross-sectional view of an upper arm of the connector in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, an elongated support member 30 can be employed to provide structural support and to guide the fiber loops during the insertion process. This support member is secured at one end to the connector 12. The distal end of the support member has an aperture 32 through which all of the fiber loops 14 pass. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention shown in the figures, this support member is a wire 30 having a loop 32 at its distal end. The upper end of this wire 30 extends through the opening in the bottom of the connector 12, where it is secured by the sealing material which fills the upper portions of the interior of the connector 12. The length of the wire, from the bottom of the connector 12 to the top of the loop 32, is slightly less than one half of the peripheral length of the fiber loops 14. This causes the fiber loops to form elongated loops that can be more readily inserted through a small incision into a vein.

The device is readily implanted and removed through a single small incision. This permits the device to be quickly implanted and used on an intermittent basis in response to changes in the patient's respiratory status. The ability to repeatedly insert and remove the devise is somewhat akin to the intermittency of treatment by dialysis for acute renal failure. Thus, this form of therapy might be termed "respiratory dialysis" for patients in respiratory failure. Although in raising the comparison with renal dialysis, the physiology of these two forms of therapy are obvious not comparable.

FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the fiber loops 14 are helically wound around the support member 30 in a cork screw arrangement. This increases the length and surface area of the fibers and thereby increases diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide across the walls of the fiber loops. The resulting complex surface shape also increases turbulence in the blood flow around the fiber loops, which further increases gas exchange across the walls of the fiber loops.

FIG. 6 also illustrates use of a rotatable support member to control the degree of helical winding of the fiber loops 14. The upper end of the support member 30 shown in the previous figures is firmly secured to the connector 12. In FIG. 6, the upper end 34 of the support member 30 extends through the connector 12, and can be manually rotated with respect to the connector 12 about the longitudinal axis of the support member 30. The fiber loops 14 extending through the aperture 32 at the bottom of the support member 30 are therefore helically wound (or unwound) by rotation of the upper end of support member 34. Prior to insertion of the device, the support member 30 is rotated to tightly wind the fiber loops 14 into a smaller, more compact volume allowing easier insertion into the vein. After the device is positioned in the vein, the support member is then rotated in the opposite direction to partially or completely unwind and unfurl the fiber loops, allowing circulation of blood between the individual fiber loops.

FIG. 7 shows another alternative embodiment in which the individual fiber loops 14 have been crimped at a number of points along their peripheral lengths. This increases the length of each fiber loop and increases circulation and turbulence of the blood flow, thereby increasing gas exchange across the walls of the fiber tubes 14. FIG. 8 shows the combination of helical winding from FIG. 6, with crimping of the fiber loops form FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows yet another alternative embodiment in which a single large-bore tube is crimped and helically wound around the support member, in place of the multitude of smaller fibers shown in the previous drawings.

In another alternative embodiment not shown in the figures, the support member 30 is omitted and the fiber loops 14 are housed within a conventional French catheter. Following insertion of the catheter and fiber loops 14 into the patient, blood circulates through the catheter and around the fiber loops within the catheter.

It should be noted that the device described above can also be used to administer anesthetic gases or other medications directly into the patient's blood system. For this purpose, a mixture of oxygen and anesthetic gases flow through the fiber loops of the device and diffuse into the patient's blood stream.

The above disclosure sets forth a number of embodiments of the present invention. Other arrangements or embodiments, not precisely set forth, could be practiced under the teachings of the present invention and as set forth in the following claims. 

I claim:
 1. A percutaneous oxygenator comprising:(a) a tubular connector having a lower opening, and an upper portion dividing to form two passageways in fluid communication with said lower opening, both of said passageways having a separate exterior opening; and (b) at least one hollow, gas-permeable fiber, each fiber having two ends, the first end of each fiber located in the first passageway of said connector in fluid communication with the exterior opening of said first passageway, the second end of each fiber located in the second passageway of said connector in fluid communication with the exterior opening of said second passageway, with each fiber forming a loop extending out of the lower opening of said connector.
 2. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 1 wherein said fibers are comprised of microporous polypropylene.
 3. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 2 wherein said polypropylene fibers are coated with a thin layer of silicone rubber to which is bonded a non-thrombogenic surface.
 4. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 1 further comprising sealing material filling any voids inside said passageways between said fibers, without plugging the ends of said fibers.
 5. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 1 wherein the connector has a Y-shaped configuration.
 6. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 1 wherein said fibers are twisted into a helical arrangement.
 7. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 1 wherein said fibers are crimped at a number of points along their peripheral length.
 8. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 1 further comprising an elongated support member extending from said connector adapted to support said fiber loops with respect to said connector.
 9. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 8 wherein said support member comprises a wire extending downward from said base with a loop at its distal end encircling said fibers.
 10. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 9 wherein the length of said wire between the lower opening of said base and the beginning point of said wire loop is less than one half of peripheral length of said fiber loops.
 11. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 8 wherein said support member is rotatable about its longitudinal axis with respect to said connector.
 12. A percutaneous oxygenator comprising:(a) a connector having(i) a tubular base with a lower end with an exterior opening and an upper end, and (ii) two tubular arms, each arm extending from the upper end of said base, with an exterior opening at its distal end; and (b) at least one hollow, gas-permeable fiber, each fiber having two ends, the first end of each fiber extending upward through the lower end of said base and into the first arm of said connector, and the second end of each fiber extending upward through the lower end of said base and into the second arm of said connector, with a loop of each fiber extending outward from the exterior opening at the lower end of said base.
 13. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 12 wherein said fibers are comprised of microporous polypropylene.
 14. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 12 wherein said polypropylene fibers are coated with a thin layer of silicone rubber to which is bonded a non-thrombogenic surface.
 15. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 12 further comprising sealing material filling any voids inside at least one of said tubular arms between said fibers, without plugging the ends of said fibers.
 16. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 12 wherein the connector has a Y-shaped configuration.
 17. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 12 further comprising a support member extending from said connector adapted to support said fiber loops with respect to said connector.
 18. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 17 wherein said support member comprises a wire extending downward from said base with a loop at its distal end encircling said fibers.
 19. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 17 wherein said support member is rotatable about its longitudinal axis with respect to said connector.
 20. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 12 wherein said fibers are twisted into a helical arrangement.
 21. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 12 wherein said fibers are crimped at a number of points along their peripheral length.
 22. A percutaneous oxygenator comprising:(a) a Y-shaped tubular connector having a tubular base with an exterior opening at its lower end; and two tubular arms, each arm extending from the upper end of said base, with an exterior opening at its distal end; and (b) a plurality of hollow, gas-permeable fibers, each fiber having two ends, the first end of each fiber extending upward through the lower end of said base and into the first arm of said connector, and the second end of each fiber extending upward through the lower end of said base and into the second arm of said connector, with a loop of each fiber extending outward from the exterior opening at the lower end of said base; (c) an elongated support member rotatably attached to said connector, having an aperture at its distal end through which pass said loops.
 23. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 22 wherein said support member comprises a wire, one end of which passes through said connector, the other distal end of said wire forming a loop.
 24. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 23 wherein the length of said wire between the lower end of said connector and the top of said wire loop is less than one half of the peripheral length of said loops of fiber.
 25. A percutaneous oxygenator comprising:(a) a tubular connector having a tubular base with an exterior opening at its lower end; and two tubular arms, each arm extending from the upper end of said base with an exterior opening at its distal end; and (b) a plurality of hollow, gas-permeable fibers, each fiber having two ends, the first end of each fiber extending upward through the lower end of said base and into the first arm of said connector, and the second end of each fiber extending upward through the lower end of said base and into the second arm of said connector, with a loop of each fiber extending outward from the exterior opening at the lower end of said base; (c) sealing material filling any voids inside at least one of said tubular arms and around said fibers, to ensure that oxygen introduced into the external opening of said tubular arm flows only into said fibers.
 26. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 25 further comprising an elongated support member extending downward from said connector, having an aperture at its distal end through which pass said loops.
 27. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 25 wherein the connector has a Y-shaped configuration.
 28. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 25 wherein said fibers are comprised of microporous polypropylene.
 29. The percutaneous oxygenator of claim 28 wherein said polypropylene fibers are coated with a thin layer of silicone rubber to which is bonded a non-thrombogenic surface. 